Detroit’s miss, Indiana’s miracle: Tyrese Haliburton haunts Pistons in Pacers’ NBA Finals surge

The two-time NBA All-Star still can’t believe Detroit passed on him in the 2020 NBA draft

Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) celebrates after a three-point basket against the Detroit Pistons during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Indianapolis, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) (Michael Conroy, Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

DETROITTyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers just took down the Oklahoma City Thunder in spectacular fashion to steal Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

After trailing by as much as 15 points in the fourth quarter, the Pacers walked down the Thunder on Thursday (June 5) for the victory.

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League Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander hits the back of the rim, and the Pacers get the rebound, trailing 110-109 with 10 seconds left.

Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle and guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) reacts to a referees call during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Detroit Pistons, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson) (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Instead of calling a timeout, former Detroit Pistons head coach Rick Carlisle decides to let his team run the final play with the game on the line.

As the clock ticks down to under four seconds, Haliburton dribbles up the right wing and dances on Cason Wallace before taking a long-range jumper, which he cashed with 0.03 tenths of a second remaining to silence the crowd while taking a 111-110 lead.

The Thunder drew up a lob attempt, but Myles Turner broke up the play at the rim to seal the victory.

Haliburton finished with 14 points in the victory as Indiana leads 1-0 in this best-of-seven series.

The game was basically over as the Pacers turned the ball over 20 times in the first half.

They finished with 25 turnovers in the game and trailed by as much as nine points with three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.

Teams were 0-182 when trailing by as much in that scenario in an NBA Finals game, but once again, the Pacers defied the odds.

The 15-point deficit, for context, tied for the largest fourth-quarter comeback in the NBA Finals over the last 50 years.

Haliburton has made big shots during the 2025 NBA playoffs.

For instance, on April 29, 2025, the Pacers went on an 8-0 run in 35 seconds of overtime to eliminate the Milwaukee Bucks, including a Haliburton go-ahead layup in front of their home crowd in Game 5 of the first round.

After advancing to the second round, Haliburton hit a dagger three-pointer with 1.1 seconds remaining to give the Pacers a 120-119 Game 2 victory vs. the Cleveland Cavaliers on May 6.

The Pacers did it again, this time inside Madison Square Garden after trailing by as much as 17 points with less than three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.

Trailing by two, Haliburton pulled out the old-school Reggie Miller choke gesture as he hit a long-range jumper to send the game to overtime, which the Pacers later won to steal Game 1 against the New York Knicks.

The rest of the NBA, in regulation or overtime, during the last 15 seconds of a postseason game to tie or take the lead, was four of 26.

Haliburton is five for five in his career, including the aforementioned four-game winners mentioned above.

Pistons fans are watching Haliburton take their Central Divisional foes on this Cinderella run and thinking, “We could’ve had him.”

During the 2020 NBA draft, Detroit, with the No. 7 pick, selected international guard Killian Hayes.

Five picks later, the Sacramento Kings took Haliburton out of Iowa State with the No. 12 pick.

In a resurfaced clip that’s been trending this postseason, Haliburton opened up about how frustrated he was when the Pistons passed on him.

“Detroit. I mean, there’s a lot of teams that I wanted to go to. With the Pistons, I knew they needed a point guard.

I already felt like I was the best point guard in the draft. Because on ESPN, it has like the top players available.

One, two, and three were Anthony Edwards, James Wiseman, and LaMelo Ball. So after that, I’m the No. 1 best available.

So, every pick that’s coming up, it’s panning to the camera in my room. And every five seconds, I’m popping up, and I’m like, ‘I don’t know what I’m supposed to be doing right now.’

I remember looking at my agent, and he was like, ‘What is this? Like they’re not picking me?’ And it flashed up Killian Hayes, whatever, and then I’m like, ‘What?’

In the moment, I was like angry. Like what do you mean? They need a point guard, and they’re not picking me? At the moment, that one definitely felt the most personal, no question."

Tyrese Haliburton
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 08: Tyrese Haliburton #0 of the Sacramento Kings defends Killian Hayes #7 of the Detroit Pistons in the second half at Golden 1 Center on April 08, 2021 in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) (2021 Lachlan Cunningham)

Hayes appeared in 220 games during his four-year stint with the Pistons.

He averaged 8.1 points per game and 5.2 assists per game during that span.

The Pistons attempted to trade Hayes at the trade deadline, but they had no suitors before ultimately waiving him.

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - FEBRUARY 22: Cade Cunningham #2 of the Detroit Pistons and Tyrese Haliburton #0 of the Indiana Pacers meet after the Pacers beat the Pistons 129-115 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on February 22, 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) (2024 Dylan Buell)

If the Pistons had selected Haliburton, then they wouldn’t have drafted star guard Cade Cunningham, who has emerged as a big-time player for the franchise.

During that time frame, the Kings traded Haliburton to the Pacers in a six-player deal led by Domantas Sabonis on Feb. 8, 2022.

Indiana received Haliburton, Buddy Hield, and NBA champion Tristan Thompson in exchange for Sabonis, Justin Holiday, Jeremy Lamb, and a 2023 second-round pick.

Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) celebrates after a three-point basket against the Detroit Pistons during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Indianapolis, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Since landing in Indiana, Haliburton, who was named the most overrated player in the NBA, while Cunningham was oddly enough named the most underrated, became a two-time All-Star.

He has also turned the franchise around by leading them to the Eastern Conference Finals in back-to-back seasons and is now three wins away from capturing their first Larry O’Brien Trophy.

Game 2 is slated for Sunday, June 8, 2025, at 8 p.m.

Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) and teammates celebrate as they leave the court after winning Game 1 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the Oklahoma City Thunder Thursday, June 5, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings) (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

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